Russian hoverbike makes first public test flight

HoverBike S3, designed by Russian engineers, can fly at the maximum altitude of five meters, at the speed of up to 70 kmph, - TASS

A Russian-made prototype of a hoverbike made its first public test flight at the Moscow Raceway track near the city of Volokolamsk on Saturday. HoverBike S3, a hybrid of a quadcopter and a motorbike designed by Russian company HoverSurf, covered the distance of 1 km at an average altitude of one meter. ‘Drones have conquered the world: they are used for aerial video footage and monitoring. And it is quite natural to start using them for transporting people," HoverSurf director general Alexander Atamanov, who is also the project’s chief designer, said. He added that a passenger drone, controlled by a computer, would be an easy-to-use solution to the transport problem. "The only chance of solving the transport problem is to open the airspace for a compact and environmentally-friendly aircraft like a hoverbike or an air taxi," he said.

HoverBike S3, designed by Russian engineers, has an environmentally-friendly electric engine. Its batteries can hold enough charge for a 30-minute flight and require four hours to be fully charged. The aircraft weights about 100 kg and can lift up to 150 kg. So far, it can fly at the maximum altitude of five meters, at the speed of up to 70 kmph. "Even with its present specifications, the drone performs quite well at temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius," Atamanov said. It can be controlled manually or remotely via a radio channel, or even take an independent flight to a location designated via GPS coordinates.

"Our hoverbike can be carried through any door and can be stored at home or even in an apartment. It can use a standard parking space, and requires no special site for takeoff or landing. That’s why its widespread use is around the corner," Atamanov said.